Featured Program: The Harman Home
Jenn is a resident of Volunteers of America’s Hartman Home in Wilkes-Barre, PA a residential treatment facility for adolescent girls. The home serves girls who have been victimized by trauma, abuse and neglect. Is Jenn a typical teenager? Hardly. Is she remarkable? Absolutely!
Jenn is 19 years old and has been in the custody of the Child Welfare System since she was five. She has no family, but what she has, she is thankful for. She has Volunteers of America.
For Jenn, placements in the child welfare system have been a revolving door for 14 years, nearly 75% of her young life. She hardly remembers not being in placement. She was referred to Volunteers of America just over one year ago and came to the Hartman Home scared, heavily medicated and expecting to fail, once again.
Instead, she found an organization and staff of people wanting to make a difference.
Jenn required additional supervision, as she was very inclined to intentionally hurt herself. To deal with her anger and emotions, she had been cutting herself and exhibited self-mutilating behaviors since she was 12 years old.
Over the past year, she began to realize that the Hartman Home was different. “The staff really cares,” she said. “I began to feel safe!”
With a great deal of therapeutic support, Jenn’s medication changed and was reduced; she started volunteering at Volunteers of America’s Family Thrift store; spent time at the YMCA; and began to control her emotions without doing harm to herself.
As Jenn’s skills increased, she no longer needed additional supervision, and, for the first time in her entire life, Jenn began attending public school. She is enrolled in the Wilkes-Barre School District and is having fun, yet working hard.
“I feel great about myself,” she said with a beautiful smile. “I’m not thinking about bad stuff or hurting myself. Now, I know I can do good and be successful. I love it at the Hartman Home. It’s the best place I’ve ever been!”
A normal day now for Jenn is getting on the bus, going to school, coming home, talking to her friends, enjoying time at the dinner table, and reflecting on the progress she is making.
Is Jenn typical? Hardly. Is she remarkable? Absolutely!
